New Kubota L3400

[TalonDancer]

About how much extra is the HST? The extra is why I've always got a manual trans on a car

IIRC the HST costs about a grand more than the manual.

BTW I originally assumed I would buy a manual. I have always preferred/purchased manuals in cars/trucks even if they cost the same. They just give me more direct control. But after using an L39 for 10 days I realized how busy your hands are in a tractor, operating the FEL and/or raising/lowering the 3 point w/ a box blade etc.

Drop by your dealer for a test drive of each tranny before you decide. Don't just drive them around the lot --
1 - pretend you are coming to a ditch carry a heavy load in the FEL: slow down, raise the bucket (for clearance) and downshift to get more power through the low spot and reverse the process coming out the other side.
2 - pretend you are spreading material with the box blade: back up slowly over the pile of material, lower the BB, shift to forward, shift to a lower gear for power to pull the material and accelerate to spreading speed. Then imagine doing the same thing at the edge of a ledge

FWIW I'm sure many of the folks on this forum do these tasks with ease using manual trannies. And with time, I'd probably get the hang of all the hand controls and be calling HSTs "girlie-men" trannies But I'd kinda like my right foot to have more than the brake to worry about.

Talon Dancer

 

[wushaw]

I only have manual trannys on my vehicles but when it comes to FEL work and box blade on my tractor I love my HST. I don't want to be worried about shifting when I am worried about the job at hand. I do have a little gear tractor and it has it's place doing other stuff.

 

[curly]

TD,

Sure makes a lot of sense when look at like that. I guess what scared me was a couple of threads about the tractors doing nothing with a load...seemed like they were just sitting there. One was talking about how this 20 yr old tractor that had 18 hp (I forgot the real number of horses) that outpulled his brand new 28hp (I forgot that number too) Kubuta with HST.

But you are right, this ain't no car or pickup, and I will have a lot more to do with my hands than just change a gear every now and again. As I said, this will be my first tractor.

My wife may be pretty good on the manual, seeing as she can eat a sausage biscuit, put on make-up, talk on the cell phone and spank my 9 yr old who's in the back seat while changing gears doing about 50-60 on the highway

 

[canoetrpr]

Curly: I have a 5 speed car and love the HST on the tractor. I have no doubt that after enough time the manual would become second nature but the HST really is great when doing loader work.

Around here resale is MUCH easier on an HST tractor and dollar for dollar you get your money back and a tractor sells much easier with an HST.

Don't think I'd buy a manual tractor. I'd go for either HST or GST.

 

[curly]

Curly: Around here resale is MUCH easier on an HST ...

RESALE...I ain't gonna sale it. Well, I guess there's always trading up right

But I did go ahead and ask him to add in the HST price...so I'm prepared to pay for it now. But each time I think I'm ready to pull the trigger somebody tells me about another brand tractor that I feel obligated to look into...dang frustrating to say the least.

 

[Mahana79]

if I had to buy my L3400 over agina i would opt for a model with shuttleshift. I think that is my biggest complaint, well and add on as many remotes as you can afford third function for the loader and atleast 2 remotes for the back

i havent had any problems with my gear tranny in my L3400 for loader work i usually use 3rd gear and low and reverse ranges. the speed is about the same in both directions. My right foot handles the diff lock, throttle and brakes i keep it idled up around 1500 rpm then use my foot to give it more if needed. my left foot handles the clutch. My right hand operates the loader stick, the three point lever (which dont get used at the same time) and the occoasional time i need to adjust the throttle by hand I.E. I have my heel on the diff lock. not very often though. and my left hand pretty much runs the steering wheel and range selector.

Like i said the only thing i would change drivetrain wise would be a shuttle shift to make the forward/reverse changes quicker and easier. because if i go any higher than Low 4 l8ike say High 1 then my forward and reverse speeds arent the same good forward but dog *** slow in reverse. but with shuttle they would be almost the same like maybe a 12x12 shuttle.

 

[Rockyridge]

I’ve got the L3400 with HST and wouldn’t go back to a manual shift. I have use tractors to some extend most of my life and each time I use it I think “what a sweet little tractor.” If I were using it daily for farm work like racking hay or plowing soil for hours on end I would probably consider manual trans. but for the general working around the place the HST is great.
One of the things that I noticed it is great for is getting out of a snow bank. (I know who thinks of snow in August) I know that you can use the FEL bucket get yourself moving again but that doesn’t work if you’re into a snow bank higher than the front of the tractor. I’ve tried “rocking” forward and back with manual trans, which can be very hard on the trans, with moderate success. With HST it is just a matter of moving the pedal forward and back and setup a rhythm without pausing in the middle to shift gears really work well. It saved me a few times this last winter.
It’s great for FEL work, after a period of time you’re not even aware of it, you just go forward and back without even thinking about it, no pause to shift when changing directions.
It takes a little time to get used to though because normally if you the engine starts getting overloaded your tendency is to push down on what is normally your accelerator foot. In this case though you need to back off the pedal to reduce your gear ration to allow the engine to speed up and pull the load.
Hope this helps!!

 

[TonyS]

I was going to buy a manual L3400 last year but for all sorts of reasons ended up with the HST - best decision that ever happened - I do a lot of FEL and its great not having to think about anything except press toe down to go forward and heel down to go back - plus its so easy to move it in tight places a little at a time.

In fact the turning radius was one factor that sold me on the tractor.

I gort a backhoe 9for some specific jobs) and a toothbar. Willbe buying a box blade soon.

You will love it - have fun

 

[emmy71]

I was also prepared to buy a gear 3400. Gear tractors are all I had ever operated and I saw no reason to change. The dealer I bought from gave me the keys to a DT and a HST. No contest. The HST is much easier to operate in my opinion. Another opinion I have on the hydro is a safety issue. My wife uses the tractor and she has never operated a tractor in her life. I feel that an inexperienced operator is more comfortable and less likely to get into an awkward situation on a hydro tractor. Just my opinion.

Terry

 

[TalonDancer]

OOPS I was reviewing the L2800/3400 brochure and realized that the info in my OP in this thread is out of date. Kubota has changed the location and functionality of several of the tranny controls on the L2800/3400 manual and HST models in 2007. The concepts are still OK but the details are wonked.

Talon Dancer